Currently, there are still many Internet users who use easy-to-guess passwords. And the worst thing is that they use the same password to access different services or several sites. A practice that is not without risk because it is not complicated for hackers to steal sensitive information or data. In this article, we show you how to create a strong password.
Worrying Figures
In 2022, France recorded more than 15 million data breaches. It ranks third behind China (18.2 million violations) and Russia (50.4 million violations). Besides France, another European country is at the top of the table: Portugal. This country suffered 16,556 attacks per 100,000 inhabitants. It should be noted that the cost of these violations is far from negligible for all the countries concerned. These figures show that data theft has continued to increase in recent years. Each time, the hackers managed to thwart the security systems put in place.
Data Leak: What Risks Are We Exposed To?
These days, data theft has unfortunately become commonplace. But whether for individuals or businesses, the consequences can be disastrous. Suppose a hacker manages to gain access to your sensitive data. In that case, he can harm you in different ways: he can, for example, usurp your identity, trap your contacts, make fraudulent purchases using your banking details, or demand a ransom, given that he discovered compromising information in your mailbox. In short, you must be very vigilant, and having a strong password is one of the measures to protect yourself from these actions. That being said, now is the time to see how to create a secure password.
A 12-Character, Anonymous Password
When you create a password, it must be 12 characters long. This is the minimum length. The password must include numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, special characters, or punctuation marks. At least your password must consist of 4 different types of characters. Furthermore, the password must be anonymous. This means that you must not use your date of birth, city of residence, first or last name of your children, pets, etc. Everyone can easily access this information via social networks.
Ban Easy Combinations And Common Words!
Some people prefer the easy way when it comes to creating their passwords. Not wanting to waste time, they choose, for example, combinations of numbers such as 0000, 1111, or 123456. Others put “azerty”, “password” or “mot de passe”. Such passwords offer inferior protection.
A Unique Password
For each service or website, it is strongly recommended to have a unique password. This means that a malicious person cannot access all of your accounts. You will have a lot to lose if you rely on just one password.
Double Authentication
Some sites alert you when someone accesses your account from an unusual device. Depending on the case, you are informed by email or SMS. In this way, you can refuse or accept the connection.
Use A Random Password Generator
It is a web tool that generates unique passwords while considering security recommendations. Depending on your needs, it is possible to customize the different parameters. Note that a password obtained from this tool is more secure if we compare it with your password. Haven’t tried it yet? Here are some popular password generators.
Renew The Password Regularly
Changing your password regularly on sites where you store sensitive information is advisable. How often? Well, you have to do it every 90 days or three months. This is what experts recommend regarding recording banking data, for example.
Avoid Storing Your Password Somewhere
You don’t have a good memory and have decided to write down your password on paper or a file. This is a big mistake. Likewise, avoid saving your password on a shared PC or a sticky note. There is no guarantee that another person or one of your office colleagues will not come across your password by chance. And you can never know if the individual in question has bad intentions towards you. Therefore, caution is always required.
To help you memorize your password without too much difficulty, here are some tips you can apply: take a sentence and remember the first letter of each word that composes it. Example: “There is no point in running; you must start in time.” This gives “rnsdcifpàp.” For added security, nothing stops you from adding symbols and numbers. There is another method which consists of using phonetics.
For example, the following sentence: “I bought two eggs and three comics this morning.” This will give gHt2Eé3BdCeMaT1. You can’t do this with every phrase that comes to mind, but as soon as a phrase fits, memorizing becomes child’s play. Finally, there are also a multitude of password managers that allow you to keep your login information secure and on all your devices at once.
How Strong Is Your Password?
At any time, know that you can check the strength of your password. It is even possible to discover if your passwords have already been hacked. This is what the “Check-up” service of the number 1 search engine, Google, offers. Some sites calculate the time a scammer will take to find your password.
To be fixed once and for all, you should not hesitate to use this tool. Having a secure password for each service or website is necessary today. Indeed, hackers are showing more and more skill in stealing data or sensitive information. Even though no silver bullet or computer system is entirely unhackable, you can still give hackers a hard time and deter them from stealing your valuable data. And to do this, don’t neglect creating your passwords.
